Turning first to the suburban outskirts of Lexington in the US state of Kentucky, where police responded to a car flip outside the local Wendy’s hamburger joint.

Police arrived at the scene, and reports indicate they got conflicting accounts.

The driver of the car said they’d been kidnapped by the passenger.

Conversely, the passenger said they’d been kidnapped by the driver.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the investigation remains ongoing. Although the car’s passenger was alleged to have briefly exited stage-left to hide two hand guns under a bush.

‘Murica.

Turning next to ASX markets, and January’s market leader — the resources sector — got back on the horse this morning as mining stocks dragged the local index higher.

Large gold stocks bounced back from yesterday’s falls, while the iron ore majors all gained +2% in morning trade.

In fact, most sectors gained except for consumer staples (the big grocery chains) and the ASX 200 IT index.

Gains in the banking sector were led by Macquarie (ASX:MQG), which climbed back above $200 a share following an operational business update.

ASX SMALL CAP WINNERS

Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks for February 8 [intraday]:

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Code Company Price % Market Cap
WOO Wooboard Tech Ltd 0.0015 50.0% $3,822,163
LKO Lakes Blue Energy 0.002 33.3% $63,573,633
PLY Playside Studios 1.335 31.5% $146,453,558
CRM Carbon Minerals Ltd 0.4 29.0% $5,829,083
MRQ Mrg Metals Limited 0.014 27.3% $19,217,645
MAY Melbana Energy Ltd 0.047 27.0% $98,912,453
MLS Metals Australia 0.0025 25.0% $10,477,115
YPB YPB Group Ltd 0.0025 25.0% $12,235,667
AUQ Alara Resources Ltd 0.099 23.8% $56,434,339
NCL Netccentric Ltd 0.12 20.0% $28,301,166
PNX PNX Metals Limited 0.006 20.0% $18,260,968
ZMM Zimi Ltd 0.012 20.0% $9,799,194
CPM Coopermetalslimited 0.545 18.5% $12,429,200
BLZ Blaze Minerals Ltd 0.052 18.2% $15,730,005
LNY Laneway Res Ltd 0.0065 18.2% $25,553,060
BMR Ballymore Resources 0.2 17.6% $12,491,274
FFG Fatfish Group 0.055 17.0% $48,698,104
PVL Powerhouse Ven Ltd 0.11 17.0% $8,905,859
CT1 Constellation Tech 0.007 16.7% $8,827,202
DDD 3D Resources Limited 0.0035 16.7% $11,641,116
GES Genesis Resources 0.014 16.7% $9,394,096
CPV Clearvue Technologie 0.41 15.5% $75,167,822
LM8 Lunnonmetalslimited 0.895 15.5% $59,365,121
MRR Minrex Resources Ltd 0.075 15.4% $45,525,646
MAT Matsa Resources 0.061 15.1% $19,024,595
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The oil bull market is in play, with Brent crude prices trading above US$92/barrel in Asia today — part of a broader upward shift towards US$100.

In that environment, money flowed into some junior oil & gas players as Sagalio Energy (ASX:SAN) and Lakes Blue Energy (ASX:LKO) both ripped higher by ~50% on no news.

Among resources stocks with news, WA1 Resources (ASX:WA1) made a stellar debut, after raising $6m at 20c in its IPO.

WA1 is a spinout of private project generator Tali Resources, and hit the market with three WA exploration projects — the flagship ‘West Arunta’ plus ‘Madura’ (IOCG) and ‘Hidden Valley’ (nickel, copper, PGEs).

Elsewhere, medical cannabis company AusCann Group Holdings (ASX:AC8) rose strongly, after getting feedback from the US FDA which gives AC8 clarity on an approval pathway for CPAT-01 — its cannabinoid-based veterinary medicine for the control of pain and inflammation in dogs with osteoarthritis.

ASX SMALL CAP LOSERS

Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks for February 8 [intraday]:

Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort:

Code Company Price % Market Cap
IQ3 Iq3Corp Limited 0.1 -31.0% $15,129,445
FFC Farmaforce Ltd 0.03 -30.2% $5,619,282
BAS Bass Oil Ltd 0.0015 -25.0% $9,225,363
JAV Javelin Minerals Ltd 0.0015 -25.0% $13,176,506
NTL New Talisman Gold 0.0015 -25.0% $6,254,451
YPB YPB Group Ltd 0.002 -20.0% $15,294,584
BLZ Blaze Minerals Ltd 0.044 -18.5% $19,305,006
CT1 Constellation Tech 0.006 -14.3% $10,298,403
DDD 3D Resources Limited 0.003 -14.3% $13,581,302
PSL Paterson Resources 0.03 -14.3% $11,874,051
ARV Artemis Resources 0.073 -13.1% $105,419,803
PLY Playside Studios 1.145 -12.6% $189,018,878
AQX Alice Queen Ltd 0.007 -12.5% $12,262,784
99L 99 Loyalty Ltd. 0.021 -12.5% $27,832,386
CLE Cyclone Metals 0.004 -11.1% $22,969,066
FFF Forbidden Foods 0.165 -10.8% $14,549,750
ST1 Spirit Technology 0.17 -10.5% $124,735,836
CPM Coopermetalslimited 0.555 -10.5% $16,752,400
GTG Genetic Technologies 0.0045 -10.0% $46,169,826
NCR Nucoal Resources Ltd 0.009 -10.0% $7,686,124
PCL Pancontinental Energ 0.0045 -10.0% $35,771,114
RDT Red Dirt Metals Ltd 0.68 -9.3% $191,366,674
FZR Fitzroy River Corp 0.15 -9.1% $17,812,451
BRX Belararoxlimited 0.31 -8.8% $9,632,207
AJL AJ Lucas Group 0.031 -8.8% $40,673,746
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